Ore separator



July 10; 1923. n 1,461,647

A. E. BOOKWALTER ORE SEPARATOR Filed sept.KV v. 1922 4 sheets-sheet 1 NI I www Jly 10, 1923. 1,461,647

A. E. BOOKWALTER ORE SEPARLATOR Filed sept. v, 1922 4 .sheets-shet @vih/woo 'n Y, y l' l "v Iwww fluo/mm3@ Juli? 1U, v1923. ,`4i6l,647

` A. E. BOOKWALTER.

' ORE sEPARg-ron l Filed Sept. '7. 1922 l#Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 10, 1923.vk

N UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBnivr E. BO'OKWALTER, or 00EUR DALENE, IDAHO.

Application led September 7, 1922. Serial No. 586,699.

To aZZ-whomz'vmay concern:

Be it known that I, ALBnRrE. BOOK- WALTER, a citizen of the United States, re-

y ysiding at Coeur dAlene, in kthe county oi Kootenai and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in AOre Separators; and I do declare the following to` be a'ulLclear, and exact ,description of the invention, such as will enable kothers skilled in the artto `which it appertains to make and'use the same. f

My invention relates to improvements in orewashing` machines .of the, type employing a reciprocating frame movable within a water box abovea series of cells and the `principal Objectisl to improve upon the construction shown in .myfII S. Patent 1237237 of August 14t,-1917,fby providing a plural- .ity of verticallymovable` plungersfbetween the sides ofthe water boxk and the 4reciproeating separatingk frame, whereby vtopro- `duce vertical pulsation of the water through the frame simultaneouslyiwith the horizonital reciprocationiofsaid frame, it having been toundthat `these combined movements vproduce much more eiiective separation of they ore from the gang.y i s A further Objectis to provide anovel association'ot parts i for collecting fine parti-` cles of ore within the separating frame and vdischarging this ore into the Subjacent cell,

separating liframe, each ltime the latter strokes in onedirection, whereby to hasten the passage Ot the material through the separating frame'and causing more eii'ective agitation than can otherwise be obtained.

With ythe foregoing in view, the invention resides inthefnovel subject matter hereinafterdescribed and laimed,'the description being. fsupplemented by the accompanying drawings.; .15,152.1` f

Figure k1 is atop plan view with the lsupporting frame in horizontal section.

Figure 2 is a 'central vertical longitudinal `section as indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

yFigure 3 is a side elevation with parts in `section on line 3 3 or' Fig. 1.

' Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section on line 1 4 of; Fig. 1.

. Figure 5 is a detail sectionall view through the bottom of the separating frame.

, 'Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing a different form of construction.

In the' drawings above briefly described,

the numeral 1 designates a water box of any suitable construction, the ends 2 of said boX b eing of considerably less height than the vsides 3 thereof. The boX is divided by one or more transverse partitions such as that indicated by the numeral 5, into a plurality 'of cells 4 in which the precious metal is collected and from which itv vmay be removed in any appropriate manner.

Mounted in the boX 1 above the ends 2 and l partitions and spaced above the sides 3 of said boX,is an ore shaking frame 6, said :frame comprising parallel sides 7, ends 8,

and a partition 9, said ends and partition bering disposed above the corresponding parts of the boX 1. The ends 8 and partition 9 are Vall Jformed with horizontal slots 10, the endmost of which communicate lwith an inlet chute 11 and a discharge chute 12. The slot 10 of the partition 9 serves to permit the passage of material from one half of theframe 6 into the other half thereof, both halves having therein means for so acting upon the ore laden slime as to separate the ore therefrom.

While frame 6 may be mounted inany `suitable manner `for horizontal reciprocation, it is preferably suspended upon hangers 'i3 from the main frame structure of the machine. Similarly, yany appropriate means may vbe devised for reciprocating said frame but I have shown an eccentric 14 on a .transverse drive shaft 15, and a pitman 16, for this purpose. f

Since the shaking frame 6 and parts carried thereby must operatel in the water ywhile theboxl stands stationary, it is nec-- essary to provide for preventing theleak- CFI age of water above the ends 2 and partition 5. For this purpose, end sheets 21 and a partition sheet 22 are provided, suitably secured in place. Water may be supplied to the box 1 through suitable piping P and regardless of the water level, provided it is below the top of the frame 6, no leakage will take place between the box and frame, due to the sheets 21 and 22.

All of the features above described are shown in Patent 1237237 to which I have referred and they therefore constitute no parts of the present invention except in connection with the features of improvement described' below.

The numerals 23 designate a pair of transversev shafts mountedV rotatably upon the main frame structure of the machine above the reciprocating frame 6, one of lthese shafts. being driven by the shaft 15 and a belt 24, while this shaft drives the other shaftv 23 by means of another belt 25. The two shafts 23 carry eccentrics 26 adjacent thereon which shafts are preferably of the adjustable throw types, said eccentrics being received in eccentric straps 27 on the upper ends of plunger rods 28 having horizontally elongated plungers 29 on their lower ends. opposite sides of the partition sheet 22 and are interposed between the sides 7 of the frame 6 and the side walls 3 of the tank 1. By this arrangement, it will be seen that asthe frame. G is horizontally reciprocated, the plungers 29. will be vertically pulsated so that water from the tank is alternately moved upwardly and downwardly through the frame, thereby effecting a very thorough separation of the orefrom the 'gang and the like.

The frame 6, in the construction shown in Figs. 1.-:5, is provided with a bottom 30 having a plurality of openings 31, the lower end of each of these openings being provided with an annular valve seat 32 which may well be formed from a piece of gas pipe. A ball valve 33 is positioned loosely within the opening 31 to engage theseat 32 and a layer of wool 34, preferably about 'two inches thick, rests upon the bottom 30 and returns the ball 33 in place. The layer of wool is in turn held down by a retainer 35 of screen wire or other suitable material. This association of parts is very eifective. While the gang and the like pass freely over the 'screen 35, the precious metal permeates through the wool 34 and collects'in the opening 31 around the balls 33, but each time an upward pulsation of water takes place, these balls are elevated from their seats and a discharge of metal takes place into the cells 4, this pulsation of water also serving to rinse the metal loose which has been caught in the wool 34.

These plungers are located at In addition to the features above described, the frame 6 is preferably provided with upper and lower sets of transversely inclined slats 36 and 37 positioned above and below the ore separating means, for performing well known agitating functions.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 6,. a sheet of wire 38 rests upon the slats 37 and a'bottom 39 rests upon this wire, said bottom being provided with a plurality of openings filled with shot as indicated by the numeral 40. A layer of wool 41 is preferably provided on the bottom 39 heldin place by a suitable retainer-42. This construction is preferable when operating upon certain kinds of ores.

In order to more e'ectively agitatey the material and hasten its separation and passage through the. machine, I' provide a bumper at one endk of the machine adapted to be struck by the frame 6, each time the latter strokes in one direction. This bumper as here shown, is in the form of a transverse horizontal bar'43 under the discharge chute 12 in position to be struck by 'one end 8 of the frame 6, said bar being yieldably connected lwith the main frame by coil springs 44 and` bolts 45.

As excellentresults may be obtained from the details disclosed, they are preferably followed, but within the scope ofthe. invention asclaimed, numerous minor changes may of course 'be made.- f

I claim:

1. An ore separator comprising a water box, Va separating frame mounted for horizontal movement in said'box with its lower side below the water level, the sides of said frame being spaced from` the sides ofthe tank, vertically movable plungers between said tank and frame sides, and means for simultaneously shaking said frame horizontally 'and pulsating said plungers vertically.

2. An ore separator comprising a water box having end walls and a partition all of less height than its side walls, an elongated separatingvframe above said end walls and said partition and spaced inwardly from said side walls, flexible transverse sheets secured to said frame, said end walls, said partition and said side walls, and means for horizontally reciprocating said frame; t0- gether with plungers at opposite. sides of said partition between' said frame and said side walls, and means for vertically pulsating said plungers while reciprocating said frame.

3. An ore separator comprising a water box., a separating frame mounted for horizontal movement in said box with its. lower side below the waterlevel, said frame having a bottom Aprovided with. aplnrality of openings, check valves closing :downwardly and controlling said openings, :andrmeans for pulsating the water in the tank to force openings having annular valve seats, hall it upwardly through said openings. valves in said openings on said seats, and y 4. An ore separator comprising a Water means for pulsating the Water in the tank 10 box, a separating frame mounted for hori-' to force it upwardly through said openings. 5 zontal movement in said box with its lower `ln testimony whereof I have hereunto afside below the waterlevel, said frame havfixed my si nature. ing a bottom provided with a plurality of A BERT E. BOOKWALTER. 

